Existing PANTHER EXPRESS Service

System Description

The Georgia State Panther Express consists of two shuttle routes, the Main Campus Route and the University Village Route. They connect to the Georgia State MARTA Station and to each other at transfer points on the Georgia State Campus. The shuttles do not operate on semester breaks or holidays.

The current operating budget is approximately $2 million, of which about $1.2 million is for the shuttle service. The lease fee for 1,200 student parking spaces at Turner Field is approximately $195,000. Students pay a transportation fee of $33.00 per semester to off-set the cost of the shuttle service. (See Image 3.21)

Main Campus Route

The Main Campus Route connects the Georgia State campus to the leased student parking in the Blue Lot at Turner Field. It provides service to several important campus destinations, including:

In the evening between 5:00 P.M. and 10:30 P.M., the Main Campus Route deviates to Aderhold Learning Center. The route exits the Blue Lot at Turner Field on Capitol Avenue and continues onto Piedmont Avenue to Auburn Avenue, Forsyth Street, Decatur Street, Edgewood Avenue to Gilmer Street. The Aderhold branch then returns to the Blue Lot on the same routing as the Main Campus route described above. This branch of the Main Campus Route operates to:

• Sparks Hall

• Aderhold Learning Center

The Main Campus Route operates for more hours annually, and carries more passengers monthly (4,446), than the university Village Route.

University Village Route

The University Village Route connects the Georgia State Campus to the University Village residential area. It provides service to several important campus destinations, including:

• General Classroom Building

• Sparks Hall

The route proceeds from the University Village residential area via Centennial Olympic Park Drive, through Fairlie Poplar on Marietta Street, Edgewood Avenue and Gilmer Street. The route then returns to University Village by way of Piedmont Avenue, Auburn Avenue, Luckie Street, Spring Street, Alexander Street and Centennial Olympic Park Drive.

A pilot shuttle program was initiated on this route during the 2005 Spring Semester. The program provided four buses between 7:00 A.M. and 9:00 A.M.; five buses between 9:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M.; two buses between 6:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M.; and 1 bus between 9:00 P.M. and 12:00 A.M. Additionally, one bus will operate on Saturday from 9:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. (and until 9:00 P.M. on basketball game days). Sunday service will be provided from 12:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. This route operates on a frequency of ten to fifteen minutes, and carries an average of 2,421 passengers monthly.